State and Tribal Response
Program Highlights
EPA Funding Provided to States and Tribes to Address Contaminated Land in their Communities
REGION I
MAINE - The City of Belfast was once a thriving seaport and
shipbuilding center; however today, this small city is largely a service
and tourism-based community. In 2010, the city began researching
possibilities for the reuse of a former fish processing facility, the
Stinson Canning property located in Belfast Harbor. The facility
was unoccupied for approximately 20 years and adjacent to a
residential neighborhood. The Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (MEDEP) used Section 128(a) Response Program
funding to conduct a Phase II assessment that revealed asbestos
and lead-based paint contamination throughout the building and
low concentrations of petroleum impacts in the soil. The property
was then entered into the MEDEP Voluntary Response Action
Program and a "No Action Assurance" letter was issued with the
understanding that the construction would comply with MEDEP's
requirements. The property will be developed into a service and
manufacturing center to include brokerage, chandlery, deep water
wind farm access, and other energy related processes as well
as aluminum, fiberglass composite and wood fabrication. The
redevelopment will be heavily dependent on labor which means
significant job creation with the anticipation of additional businesses
relocating to this beautiful seaside community.
REGION 2
NEW YORK - The Syracuse Center for Excellence in Environmental
and Energy Systems (CoE) constructed their new headquarters on
a former brownfield. The 60,000-square-foot complex is located
on a 2.4-acre property in downtown Syracuse. Previously, the
property was the location of Midtown Plaza, an eight-story building
constructed in the early 1900s that was used as a typewriter factory
for the Smith Corona Company. The contaminated Midtown Plaza
building was demolished in 1999. The New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation used Section 128(a) Response Program
funding to oversee the cleanup at the property. The Syracuse CoE
redevelopment project was a collaborative effort led by Syracuse
University with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and
Forestry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Cornell University,
Clarkson University and other public and private colleges across
the state. The Syracuse CoE creates innovative environmental
and energy technologies, focusing on air and water quality, green
buildings, renewable energy and biofuels. The new headquarters
features technologies that improve environmental quality and energy
efficiency in buildings and urban communities.
The Syracuse Center for Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (CoE)
new headquarters.
DELAWARE - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources
and Environmental Control used Section 128(a) Response Program
funding to assess two brownfield properties in Wilmington. The
assessment at the M&N Property revealed hazardous substance
contamination from the historic use of fill materials from past
operations on the surrounding properties. The property is expected
to be redeveloped for light industrial/commercial use. The second
property assessed was the Terminal Avenue property which is
approximately seven acres and was most recently operated as
an asphalt plant from the 1950s to 2006. The assessment at the
property found hazardous substance contamination from historic
operations at the property. The redevelopment plans for the Terminal
Avenue property include a mixture of industrial and commercial uses.
REGION 4
MISSISSIPPI - The University of Mississippi recently purchased
the 69-acre Whirlpool brownfields property in Oxford for $3.4
million. To ensure the property was safe as well as marketable,
Whirlpool entered into a Brownfields Agreement with MDEQ to
fund the cleanup of hydraulic fluid which contaminated a small
500-square foot area. Whirlpool began transitioning in July 2008 and
completely closed the Oxford plant in March 2009 when its built-
in cooking appliances operation moved to Cleveland, Tennessee.
The University has a long-term vision for the property which
includes constructing new buildings for storage and other purposes
in an effort to open existing structures for academic space. The
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) used
Section 128(a) Response Program funding to facilitate discussions
between the University and Whirlpool, and explained the benefits
of its Brownfields Program including liability protection and income
tax credits. Once Whirlpool entered the Brownfields Agreement,
the company funded the assessment, remediation, monitoring and
MDEQ's oversight costs.
CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Fundin
May/June 201 I
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MICHIGAN - The City of St. Joseph combined three former
brownfield properties into the Bluffside Redevelopment project,
a single contiguous public education, cultural and recreational
complex. The project included three parcels (200 Broad Street,
235 Broad Street, and 501 Lions Park Drive), as well as portions of
public right-of-way, totaling 7.9 acres. In October 2006, the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) used Section
128(a) Response Program funding to conduct an assessment
that included the collection of soil and groundwater samples
on all three parcels. The results of that investigation revealed
that polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals, and
pesticides exceeded MDEQ residential criteria at various locations.
After cleanup was completed, the property was redeveloped into
an educational and recreational park that opened in 2009. The
attractions include a butterfly house, museum, carousel, interactive
fountain, boardwalk and greenspace park that link the downtown
business district to Silver Beach County Park and Lake Michigan.
In addition, the redevelopment incorporated Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design components including native vegetation,
green roofs, water conservation, and the use of renewable energy/
green power. The Bluffside redevelopment created two full-time
and thirteen part-time jobs and received approximately $9 million in
private investments.
View of Bluffside Redevelopment project shotting carousel house and museum.
REGION 6
ARKANSAS - The old Martindale Clinic in the City of Hope is a
former brownfield that will become the new home of Hope's Christian
Charitable Clinic. The Arkansas Department of Environmental
Quality (ADEQ) used Section 128(a) Response Program funding
to conduct an assessment and oversee cleanup at the property.
According to the City Manager Catherine Cook, "the ADEQ helped
us through the complicated project and provided the utmost level of
technical assistance to us." She added that "it's been a long process,
but we're glad it's complete and now we can go onto the exciting
renovation steps." The Christian Charitable Clinic is scheduled to
open in early 2012.
WINNEBAGO TRIBE - Molly Feldick was hired on November
1, 2010 as the new Section 128(a) Tribal Brownfields Program
Coordinator for the Winnebago Tribe in Winnebago, Nebraska.
To supplement the more routine brownfield and hazardous
substance training, Molly researched experienced Tribal
Brownfields Coordinators to shadow for training purposes. With
the help of the Midwest Assistance Program, Molly arranged a
brownfield shadowing session with Marlene McDanal, a 9-year
veteran Brownfields Tribal Response Program Manager with the
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian
Reservation located in Montana. Marlene specializes in brownfields
but she has enhanced her program through solid/hazardous waste,
asbestos, and tribal meth lab awareness trainings. Molly learned
step-by-step procedures for addressing a brownfield including
field reporting, eligibility determination, Phase I and Phase II
assessments, quality assurance project plans, and obtaining an
environmental contractor. Molly and Marlene were recognized
by EPA at the National Brownfields Conference in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania in April 2011. They established a resource network
and professional friendship that they hope will advance the Section
128(a) Response Program for tribes throughout the country.
Marlene McDanal from the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes with
Molly Feldick from the Winnebago Tribe.
REGION 8
SOUTH DAKOTA - On April 13, 2011, a first of its kind meeting
was held in Pierre which included Response Program management
and staff from the South Dakota Department of Environmental
and Natural Resources (DENR), as well as their counterparts
representing the Lower Brule Sioux, Oglala Sioux, Sisseton-
Wahpeton Oyate, and Standing Rock Sioux tribes. DENR used
Section 128(a) Response Program funding to host and facilitate
the meeting. DENR's Secretary Pirner welcomed the tribal
representatives and provided an overview of the State's Brownfields
Program. Administrators and department staff from various DENR
CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding
May/June 201 I
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programs provided a briefing on their responsibilities and the major
environmental issues impacting the state. Tribal and DENR staff
provided an overview of brownfields success stories and discussed
opportunities for the tribes to use EPA's Brownfields Program
funding on tribal lands.
South Dakota DENR Secretary Steve Pirner addresses the five State and Tribal
Response Programs in attendance.
REGION 9
HAWAII - The Hawaii Department of Health Hazard Evaluation and
Emergency Response Office (HDOH HEER Office)used Section
128(a) Response Program funding to collaborate with two other
state agencies, the Hawaii Department of Business Economic
Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and the Hawaii Department
of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR), to conduct the Hawaii
Build and Buy Green + Brownfields Redevelopment + Green
Workforce Development Conference and Expo held May 24, 2011.
This is the first year the three standalone events were brought
together as one. The combined event focused on regeneration and
reuse of contaminated land, renewable energy, green buildings
and green workforce development. Over 400 participants and 50
exhibitors attended. One of the many benefits of the combined
event was an opportunity to make connections between brownfields
redevelopment and sustainable technologies such as renewable
energy. For example, the brownfields redevelopment track included
a presentation on a solar field constructed at a former steel
manufacturing site that was cleaned up with HDOH HEER Office
oversight and achieved site closure with restricted use.
A booth at the Hawaii Build and Buy Green + Brownfields Redevelopment + Green
Workforce Development Conference and Expo.
REGION 10
ALASKA NATIVE TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM - The Alaska
Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) is using Section 128(a)
Response Program funding to conduct outreach and develop an
inventory of brownfield properties throughout local communities.
At the nearby Native Village of Tazlina, there is a strong interest to
restore the old Copper Valley School, a historic building with cultural
value which was previously a boarding school for many of the local
tribes. The school was formerly funded by the Catholic Church of
Anchorage, but a fire created an unstable, unsafe structure with
contamination surrounding the property. ANTHC partnered with
the Copper River Native Association, Copper Valley School Alumni
Association, and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
to submit a targeted brownfields assessment (TBA) application to
EPA to initiate the process towards reuse of this historical site. By
working with local communities, ANTHC will continue to identify and
prioritize multiple properties and facilitate the assessment, cleanup
and reuse of these properties. In addition, ongoing plans are being
made to host future trainings in the field to meet the needs of rural
communities.
United States
Environmental
CERCLA Section I28(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding
May/June 2011 EPA-560-F-1 I -063
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